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Sample Interview Questions

While every interview is different, the questions below often make an appearance. Consider them in advance.

Resume-Based / Traditional Questions

Breaking the ice:

Tell me about yourself.

Walk me through your resume.

Show and tell:

Why are you pursuing this field?

Describe the job or activity that has had the greatest impact on your career goals.

What specific skills have you acquired or used in previous jobs that related to this position?

Tell me about what you learned from your previous jobs and internships.

What qualifications do you have that make you think that you would be successful?

What makes you tick?

What kinds of tasks and responsibilities most motivate you?

In what kind of work environment do you work best?

How do you motivate others?

Tell me about a time when you have had to work under pressure. How did you handle it?

Tell me about your leadership experiences.

What have you accomplished that you are most proud of?

Tell me about an interesting article you recently read in the news media.

If you had six months ahead with no obligations and no financial constraints, what would you do?

How would your colleagues describe you?

What do you want me to know about you that isn’t on your resume?

Have you done your homework?

Why did you apply to our organization? Why do you want to work here?

What can you tell us about our organization?

What interests or impresses you about our organization?

What criteria are you using to evaluate organizations?

Are you seeking employment at an organization of a certain size? Why?

Do you have a geographic preference?

Do you think you would enjoy living in this area?

Why should I hire you and not the next candidate who walks in the door?

Behavioral Questions

If past behavior predicts future behavior, then…

Tell me about a time when you used your quantitative or analytical skills.

Describe an experience in which you showed initiative.

Describe an experience in which you showed creativity.

Tell me about your most recent group or team effort.

Tell me about an important goal you set in the past, and the steps you took to reach that goal.

What would you do if someone asked you to do something unethical?

Tell me about a time when you have managed multiple priorities at once.

Describe a situation in which you had to take a risk.

Tell me about a time when you went the extra mile to get a project done.

Describe a situation when you had to persuade or convince someone. How did you do it?

Describe a time when you had a difficult decision to make and how you arrived at your decision.

Tell me about a time when a project you worked on didn’t work out the way it should have.

Give me an example of when you failed at something and what you learned from that experience.

Describe a group work situation where you and your partner were having trouble getting along. How did you resolve the conflict?

Describe a situation during which you had to learn a large amount of material quickly. How did you handle it?

Tell me about a time when you had a personality conflict or disagreement with a supervisor. How did you resolve it?

Give me an example of how you would motivate a co-worker who was performing poorly on a team project.

Tell me about an unpopular decision you made. How did you make the decision? If you could handle the same situation again, would you do anything differently?

Case Questions

If you wanted to buy a local Thomas Sweet Ice Cream shop, what factors would you consider?

You are asked to perform a cost benchmarking study for your client, a toy manufacturer. Explain the methodology you would use to ascertain the competition’s cost.

Your analysis of the client’s problem leads you to solution A. However, this is not the solution your client favors. Your client likes solution B. You are convinced that solution A is the most effective plan. What do you do?

Our client manufactures sunscreen products. It’s thinking about entering the hair products market. Is this a good idea? What marketing strategies might you implement?

Questions to Ask the Interviewer

What does it take to be highly successful in this organization?

What do you consider the five most important day-to-day responsibilities of the job?

Tell me about the organization’s culture.

How will the duties change once the training program has been completed?